Truth: Influenza infection is a serious illness causing significant morbidity and mortality adversely affecting the public health on an annual basis. Influenza is the sixth leading cause of death among adults in the United States, killing an average of 36,000 Americans annually.

Truth: Influenza-infected health care workers can transmit this deadly virus to their vulnerable patients, their co-workers, families and friends. The virus can be transmitted to patients and other employees by both symptomatic and asymptomatic health care workers – hence, just “staying home from work” is an insufficient strategy for preventing nosocomial transmission.

Can I get the flu from the vaccine?
No. Inactivated influenza vaccine contains noninfectious killed viruses and cannot cause influenza. Coincidental respiratory disease unrelated to influenza vaccination can occur after vaccination.

Why can’t I just get prophylaxis for influenza?
Prevention of disease with vaccination is a much better strategy for reducing illness and exposure. Remember that you can be asymptomatic and spread disease.

How soon after vaccination am I protected?
It takes about two weeks to develop protection so it’s important to get your vaccination early in the season.

Does the influenza vaccine give you Guillain-Barre´?
The Guillain-Barre´ Syndrome (GBS) was associated with the swine flu in 1976 but has not been clearly linked to flu vaccines. The CDC states,
however, that “if there is a risk of GBS from current influenza vaccines it is estimated at one or two cases per million persons vaccinated.” So the benefits of getting vaccinated greatly outweigh the risks involved.